Total Body Drop Set

By now you are probably very familiar with my high rep workouts. I love drop sets so much because they are so effective. Here is another drop set you can add to the end of a cardio session or do as a stand alone workout if you are short on time.

Warm up with 5-10 minutes of walking, jogging, cycling, rowing, etc...  just get your body moving.

Lower Body Set:  

-Perform 8 weighted squats, 8 squat pick ups, then 8 jump squats

-Perform 8 weighted back lunges, 8 catch lunges, and 8 switch jumps (1 rep is both right and left legs).

Repeat the above two sets, but this time do 7 reps of each, then 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.  

**200 high knees

Upper Body Set:  

-Perform 8 shoulder presses, 8 bicep curls, 8 Tricep pushups, and 8 belly drop knee drives, then 7 reps of each, then 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1.

**200 high knees 

Cool down and stretch

Add on pyramid workout

This is a workout you can customize to suit your fitness level and the equipment you have access to. You can do this on your cardio day, or use weights or body weight. Change up the exercises while keeping the same format to give you a different workout every time. To put it simply, start with one exercise, then add another exercise, performing the first exercise, then the first AND second exercise. Then the first, second AND third exercise. Keep adding on until you decide it's enough. Then you can take out one exercise per round until you are back to just the first exercise you started with.

Example: 

15 squats (with or without weights)

15 squats, 10 pushups

15 squats, 10 pushups, 10 burpees

15 squats, 10 pushups, 10 burpees, 20 V sits  

15 squats, 10 pushups, 10 burpees, 20 V sits, 100 high knees

15 squats, 10 pushups, 10 burpees, 20 V sits

15 squats, 10 pushups, 10 burpees

15 squats, 10 pushups

15 squats

Be creative and get moving! 

BHW

Burning Bridge

This is not a workout, per se, but it is one of the best booty exercises on the planet. I love to finish off my leg training day with this set.

 Burning Bridge   

Lay flat on your back and bend your knees. Lift your hips up into a bridge position, squeezing your hamstrings, glutes and lower back, then lower your hips down to the floor.  

Perform a set of 50 reps, stretch, then 40 reps, 30 reps, 20 reps, and finally, 10 reps. Make sure to stretch when you are done. Feel free to repeat that set, but if you really squeeze and press, you will be burning in those buns.

BHW

Swim Workout #2

The leaves are starting to fall, the morning air is cool. I know there is not much motivation to get in the pool, but swimming is so good for you. It is a total body workout, very low impact and feels great on those tired and sore muscles. Feel free to adjust the yardage for a shorter or longer swim.

Warm up:  500 yds. (100 yards easy, 100 yards at a faster pace, 75 yards easy, 75 yards fast, 50 yards easy, 50 yards fast, 25 yards easy, 25 yards fast)

5-10 x 100 yards:  20 seconds rest

(odds: freestyle/evens: stroke)

250 yards kick: (alternate 25 easy, 25 fast)

250 yards pull

8 x 50 yards:  (IM switches: fly/back, back/breast, breast/free, free/fly x repeat)

200 yards swim easy

Not-another-boring-tempo-run

No need to get stuck in a rut with your fitness. 

Warm-up: 10-15 minutes at a relaxed paced to prime your system.  Throw in a few pick-ups to fire-up those fast-twitch muscle fibers.  Then begin the tempo session below! 

1-minute at tempo
-20 sec at relaxed pace
90 seconds at tempo
-20 sec at relaxed pace
2-minutes at tempo
-20 sec at relaxed pace
2-minutes/30 seconds at tempo
-20 sec at relaxed pace
3-minutes at tempo
-20 sec at relaxed pace
4-minutes at tempo pace
-20 sec at relaxed pace
5-minutes at tempo pace
-20 sec at relaxed pace
6-minutes at YOUR BEST PACE!
10-minutes at a relaxed pace to shake the workout out!  Don't skip this!

Have fun!  Maintain your form.  Maintain a 180 cadence.  And smile often.

Be Well, Be Fit,
MLC
 

Stair Workout #2

When you don't have any equipment, are traveling, or just plain short on time, working out on stairs are a great way to get your cardio in quickly.

Warm up: 

Run up and down the stairs for 5 minutes to warm up.

Set 1:  perform each of the following for 60 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds then repeat the set 2 more times.

1-Run stairs

2-Run up skipping one stair/run down

3-Skip 2 stairs

Set 2: run up the stairs and perform 50 squats or jump squats. Run down and do 40 jump squats. Run up, 30 jump squats. Run down, 20 jump squats. Run up, 10 jump squats. Run down.

Set 3: 

At the bottom of the stairs, do each of the following for 30 seconds.  Rest for 30 seconds. Do 3-5 rounds.

1-plank step ups (in a plank position, walk your hands up into the stair, then back down)

2-tricep dips of the bottom step

3- toe taps (stand on the ground and run in pace with high knees, tapping your toes on the stair)

4-decline pushups (with your hands on the floor and feet on the stairs)

Rest for 30 seconds then repeat 2-4 more times. 

** Bonus Round 

With or without weights, climb up and down the stairs, skipping 2 or 3 stairs, depending on how long your legs are. Climb up and down 10-25 times (burn those buns)! 

Cool down and stretch

BHW  

Cardio Abs

I love to train abs, but they are such a small group of muscles that burn out so quickly, it is difficult to give them much of my time. I may do a quick abdominal workout AFTER I've trained another body part or after a good sweat session, but just because they are small, doesn't mean they don't deserve your attention. Traditional sit-ups and crunches may not be the best use of your time. In order to get your mid-section looking lean and strong, burning the fat over the top of your abs is crucial. A healthful, low sugar diet is key as well as fat burning exercise. This workout will get your heart rate up and strengthen your core.

* Perform each exercise for 50 seconds, resting 10 seconds. Perform 2-4 rounds.

1-double knees (2 high knees/2 inside feet (high knees, tapping the inside of your foot)

2-belly drop knee drives (lay on your belly, then push yourself up into a plank position, pulling your knee into your chest. Drop back down to your belly and pull the other knee to your chest. Alternate knees) 

3-4 froggers/4 plank jacks

4- leg drops with a crunch (lay on your back with both feet in the air. Drop both legs until they almost touch the floor, crunch, lift both legs back up)

5-Burpees

6-side plank toe touch (get down into one elbow in a side plank position. Bring your top leg forward and touch your toe to your hand)

7-repeat on the opposite side

8- mountain climbers

Have fun!

BHW  

Buns and guns

This is a short strength workout meant to be done after a cardio session or long warm up. It will strengthen your arms and your Glutes.

 **Start your stopwatch and perform each of the following exercises for 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds between sets. 

Set 1,3, and 5

Glutes  

1-Weighted back lunges, alternating legs

2-Catch lunges on the right leg (stand with feet together, jump back into a lunge and then jump both feet together) 

3-Weighted pulse squats (squat low and pulse 3 times, then stand up)

4-Catch lunges in the left leg

Set 2,4, and 6

ARMS  

1-Bicep curls

2-Pushups

3-shoulder presses

4-Tricep pushups

Burning bridge  

After you have completed the 6 sets, lay down and put your feet up on a box, chair, or couch. Lift your buns off the floor into a bridge and squeeze your Glutes and hamstrings. Perform 50 reps, rest and stretch, then 40, 30, 20, and 10 reps. 

BOSU Blast

This workout is a good mix of cardio, strength, and balance. Using the bosu ball (that funny looking half ball that usually sits in the corner of the gym collecting dust) will take you to the next level in your training.  Because the bosu ball is unstable it requires your body to use accessory muscles to help stabilize you. 

BOSU BALL WORKOUT 

Perform the following exercises for 50 seconds, resting for 10 seconds. If you are a beginner, try 1-2 rounds. If you are more advanced, try 3-4 rounds. 

Bosu Burpees:  Hold the handles of the bosu ball and place the ball side on the floor. Jump back into a plank, perform 1 pushup, jump up with the bosu. 

Toe taps:  Stand up and run in place, tapping your toes on the bosu ball.

Down up pushups:  place the flat side of the bosu on the floor with your hands on the ball while in a plank position. Go down to one elbow, then the other. Go back up to your hands and do 1 pushup. Repeat alternating hands.

Bosu power squats:   stand on the ball and jump off into a deep squat, then jump back onto the bosu. 

Tricep dips: perform Tricep dips with your hands on the ball

Back lunges:  Hold a set of dumbbells while standing on the ball. Lunge back, alternating legs. 

Rollback/2 jump squats: From a standing position, sit on the ball, roll all the way back then sit up and explosively jump off the ball into 2 jump squats.

* Cool down and stretch

 

Total Body Flip Workout

In this workout you will be flipping back and forth between a pair of exercises. There as 5 pairs. 

 Total Body Flip Workout

 (Equipment needed: moderate-high step or box, dumbbells, mat)

Warm up: 5 minutes of walking, jump rope or  jogging

Start with 8 reps of exercise A and 1 rep of exercise B. Then 7 reps of A and 2 reps of B. Continue until 1 rep of exercise A and 8 reps of exercise B are performed. Rest 1-2 minutes and move on to the next pair of exercises. Feel free to change the exercises to meet your needs, however, the exercises I have chosen will give you a total body workout.

Set 1:

Exercise A: Rollback/2 jump squats

Exercise B: pushup pushbacks

Set 2:

A: squat jump pickups (with or without dumbbells)

B: triple butt lift (count each leg as 1 rep)

Set 3:

A: Box jump, Burpee, 6 high knees

B: knee to wrist (count each side as 1 rep)

Set 4:

A: Manmakers (in a plank position row, row, pushup, jump up and do 2 shoulder presses)

B: catch lunges (count each side as 1 rep)

Set 5:

A: single arm v sits with a dumbbell (count each side as 1 rep)

B: elbow walks with 2 baby tigers (low plank position)

This workout takes about 60 minutes to complete. Push hard, but pace yourself. This is an high rep workout that will target your whole body and maximize your calorie burn. Have fun!

BHW

Don't stop till you drop

This workout is meant to be fast and intense. If you are short on time, this quick set will get your heart pumping and muscles burning. Go hard and give it your best effort.

Perform each of the following 3 exercises for 30 sec, then rest for 30 seconds. Complete 5 rounds. 

Warm up for 2-3 minutes. Jumping jacks, run in place, or jump rope. 

Interval 1: 

1-30 seconds of power squat pick ups (start by holding a set of moderately heavy dumbbells.   Jump down into a squat and place one dumbbell on the floor, jump back up, jump squat down and place the other dumbbell on the floor, jump back up. Then jump squat down and pick up the dumbbells one at a time. Repeat this for the entire 30 seconds).

2-  Burpee with 2 jump squats

3-switch jumps OR weighted lunges

**Rest 30 seconds and repeat the set 4 more times

Interval 2: 

Perform 30 pushups, 30 bicep curls, 30 Tricep dips, and 30 V sits. Without resting, perform 20 reps of each, then 10 reps of each.

Cool down and stretch. 

Let me know how it goes!

BHW

Total Body Burn

This workout is designed to target your entire body. You will increase your cardiovascular endurance,  as well as strengthen and tone your entire body.  Grab a bottle of water, set of dumbbells, and a timer. Do your best to stay on the intervals. 

Warm up: jog stairs or track for 5 minutes

Perform each of the following exercises for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds. Complete 5 rounds.

 Lower body:

1-Power squat center, 1/4 turn right/power squat, center power squat, 1/4 turn left power squat

2-4 skaters forward/4 skaters back

3-squat, side leg lift, squat, side leg lift

 Upper body: 50 sec work/10 sec rest (2 rounds)

1-4 plank to squats/4 froggers

2-Manmakers (using dumbbells: plank, row, pushup, row, pushup, jump up and shoulder press)

3-Pushup pushbacks

4-manmakers

5-Yoga pushups

6- manmakers

7-Reptile/push/knee to wrist (alternate legs)

 Lower body: 30,30,30 30 rest x 5

1-Sumo squat jump, 2 knees

2-rollback/2 jump squats

3-4 squat quarter turns/1 Burpee

 Upper body: 50 sec/10 rest x 2 rounds

1-plank jacks

2-leg drop, hold and crunch

3-double knees

4-criss cross abs

5-ski abs

6-knee Hug

7-mtn climbers

Cool down: walk and stretch

Have fun and work hard! 

BHW

Swim Workout 10 x 10

Here is a swim workout that is sure to beat the boredom of your typical swim sets.  A lap in swimming is typically one length of the pool, however, to avoid confusion, I used the term: length.

Enjoy! 

Workout:  (2500 y/m)

10 lengths freestyle (easy warm-up) 

10 lengths kicking with board or no board

10 lengths of freestyle drills

10 lengths (odds stroke/evens freestyle) building pace

10 lengths kicking, every other length is fast

10 lengths (10x25y/m) freestyle, SPRINT! pace!  on :10s rest

10 length building pace with pull buoy

10 lengths freestyle as: odds-fast and evens are to get as much distance per stroke and done at slower pace

10 lengths kicking, every other length is fast

10 lengths at best pace

Cool Down is choice. 

Swim Well, 

MLC

Total Body AMRAP

This AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)  workout can be customized to fit your schedule and level of fitness. All you do is pick 4-5 exercises (l like to pick an upper body exercise, 2 lower body moves, and a core move) then set your timer for your desired workout time. Repeat the moves without rest for the specified amount of time. 

Example AMRAP

10 burpees with 2 squat jumps

10 pushup pushbacks

10 lunge jumps

10 Plank jacks with a reptile kick

Set the timer for 10-15 minutes and knock it out! 

BHW

Pyramid Workout

Perform the first exercise, then add the second exercise. Next, perform the first two exercises and add the third exercise. Continue adding exercises until the last exercise then start taking off the last exercise of each round.

1-15 jump squats (or squat quarter turns)

2-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks

3-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees

4-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees, 15 V sits

5-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees, 15 V sits, 20 catch lunges

6-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees, 15 V sits

7-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees

8-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks

9-15 jump squats

**For a longer workout, you can repeat the set OR add a 2-5 minute jog, jump rope, or stair climb between rounds.

BHW

Total Body Pyramid Workout

PYRAMID WORKOUT

Perform the first exercise, then add the second exercise. Next, perform the first two exercises and add the third exercise. Continue adding exercises until the last exercise then start taking off the last exercise of each round.

1-15 jump squats (or squat quarter turns)

2-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks

3-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees

4-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees, 15 V sits

5-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees, 15 V sits, 20 catch lunges

6-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees, 15 V sits

7-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks, 15 burpees

8-15 jump squats, 15 pushup pushbacks

9-15 jump squats

**For a longer workout, you can repeat the set OR add a 2-5 minute jog, jump rope, or stair climb between rounds.

BHW

Vacation HIIT Workout

I get it.  While on vacation we all want to spend time doing vacationy-like activities.  So, here is a quick and effective high intensity workout to start your day! 

This set takes 4-minutes. Do 4-5 rounds with a 30-second rest after each 4-minute set. 

• 50 seconds of alternating arm-walk-out push-ups. (Push-ups with one arm placed wide out to one side, then switch sides). 10-seconds REST
• 50 seconds of curtesy lunges. 10-seconds rest.
• 50 seconds of burpees with a tuck jump. 10-seconds rest. 
• 50 seconds of jump squats with a quarter turn. 10-seconds rest. 

Be sure to do a warm-up and cool-down!  Fit it in and then enjoy each vacation day! 

Cycle/Plyo Workout

Warm up on the bike for 2-5 minutes. Pedal easy, light tension.

Cycle 1

10 x 40 sec sprint/20 sec hill sprint

Get off the bike and complete Plyo set 1

Plyo 1

 Complete each set of exercises for

40 sec, 30 sec, 20 sec, and 10 sec

1-Plyo Lunge right/Plyo lunge left/Burpee

2-Lunge kick switch

 1-Squat cross/Burpee

2-Power squat quarter turn

 Cycle 2:

Tabata: 16 x 20 sec sprints/10 sec rest

(Alternating flat road and hill sprints)

 Plyo 2: Same interval as Plyo 1

1-Broad jump forward/4 Hopscotch squats back

2-Skaters

1-Fall forward into a pushup/jump tuck/6 high knees back

2-Spider-Man Pushup

 Cycle 3:

Ride at an all out pace for 3-4 minutes

Cool down/stretch

Daily Burn

Don't have time for a full workout...put on your game face and do this as many times a week as you can! 

10x50 reps...Ten exercises and 50 reps of each!

50 jumping jacks

50 planks jacks

50 power squats with a quarter turn

50 push-ups...vary them! 

50 lunges

50 high-knees

50 skater

50 v-sits

50 plié squats

50 jumping jacks one more time! 

DONE! 

Be well, 

MLC

Chest Workout

  Strengthen your chest and arms with this combination workout. Our goal is to increase strength by using weights and increase endurance by performing the bodyweight exercises. Working the two systems simultaneously will challenge you and give you a great workout!

Warm up: 5-10 minutes

1. Side to side pushups (start with hands together in a plank position, step one hand to the right, lower into a pushup then back to center. Step one hand to the left, lower into a pushup, then back to center) 12-20 reps

2. Incline dumbbell press (right arm, left arm, both arms) 10-15 reps of each

3. Begin in a plank position with your hands on dumbbells. Pushup pushback/row right arm, pushup pushback row left arm X 16 reps (8 on each side)

4. Flat bench triple press. Holding the straight bar, begin with hands narrow and bring bar to chest, press up and jump hands wider, then widest, then narrow and narrower. Perform as many reps as you can 

5. 1 Pushup/1 plank jack (repeat for 30-45 seconds)

6. Flat bench dumbbell press  (alternating elbows wide/elbows in) 16-20 reps

**Repeat entire sequence 2-4 times